Keyed head brake beam



July 26, 1960 F. w. LEwus KEYED HEAD BRAKE BEAM Filed March 16, 1955 IN V EN TQR.

United States Patent Ofifice 2,946,411 Patented July 26, 1960 KEYED HEAD BRAKE BEAM Frank W. Lewis, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 16, 1955, Ser. No. 494,680

4 Claims. (Cl. 188-2'28.6)

The invention relates to railway truss type brake beams of the Huntoon type in which the compression and tension members converge towards each other from the middle of the beam towards the ends of the beam, substantial end portions of the members being parallel and in contact with each other and mounting the brake heads.

The general objects of the invention are to effectively is draw n i lmttat aalhejm;

hot and, in shrinking, fits more tightly against the compression and tension members and holds them more tightly to each other. The middle portion of the retainer is offset at 11b to provide recesses 11c receiving the edge portions of the channel compression member flanges.

A brake head 15-includes a body portion with a transverse passageway 15a disposed to receive the end portions of the compression and tension members and the surrounding retainer 11. The forward wall of the passageway has an offset portion 16 disposed to seat against the offset portion 11b of the retainer. The rear wall of the passageway is spaced from the rear face of the compression member web and the head is apertured at 17 to receive a spring key 18. The middle portion 18a of the key is bulged forwardly and bears against the end portions of retainer 11. The end portions of the key bear against the upper and lower portions of the inner face of the back wall of the brake head passageway.

The oifset portion 11b of the retainer is apertured at 19 and receives an annular rib 20 projecting from the front wall of the brake head passageway. Preferably an indentation 24 in the compression member web cooperates with shoulder 5 in positioning retainer 11 lengthwise of the beam.

With this assembly,-the retainer is held against movement towards the end of the beam by the engagement Figure 1 is a top view of a beam of the general type referred to and embodying one form of the invention. The right hand end of the beam is sectioned upon the line 1-1 of Figure 2 and also indicates the adjacent portion of a wheel to which the beam will be applied.

Figure 2. is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 3 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail section of parts shown in Figure 2 illustrating the assembly of the parts.

Figure 5 is a section corresponding to Figure 2, but illustrating another form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures l-4, the compression member 1 is of channel section with its web upright and its flanges horizontal. Tension member 2 is of rectangular bar section with its end portions 3 of increased thickness and depth and substantially fitting between the flanges of the compression member and contacting with the inner face of the compression member web. The compression and tension members are spaced apart at the middle of the beam by a strut 10 and the tension member is inclined toward the compression member from the strut to each end of the beam. The end portions of the strut and beam are parallel and in contact with each other. Each terminal of the tension member projects lengthwise of the beam beyond the terminal of the compression member and is provided with a head- 4 forming shoulders 5 and 6 facing towards the middle of the beam. Shoulder 5 is seated against the terminal of the web of compression member 1.

A strap-like retainer -11 is bent around the end portions of the compression and tension members transversely of the beam from the position shown in full lines (Figure 4) to the position shown in broken lines in which the ends 11a of the retainer are in abutting relation. Preferably the retainer is bent into its final position while therewith of shoulders Sand 6 on the end of the tension member. The brake head is held against similar moverynea b h Qe igupfiaperturerllandrib.20. These parts are held engaged, except during assembly and disassembly, by spring key 18, which is retained against movement lengthwise of the beam by the groove 21 provided therefor in the back wall of the head passageway. To replace the head, it is only necessary to remove key 18, move the head forwardly of the beam far enough to disalign elements 19 and 20 and then slide the head oif the end of the beam. The new head is replaced by reverse movements. The assembly of the compression and tension members is not affected Preferably the front wall of the head passageway is extended at 22 to bear against the inclined portion of tension member 2 immediately adjacent to its end portion 3, thus providing additional bearing between the head and the tension member and reinforcing the tension member at the angle of its bend. This head extension 22 projects at both sides of the head laterally of the head beyond the plane of the shoe mounting elements 23 so that the head is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis and may be applied to either end of the beam.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7 the compression member 31 and the tension member 32 are the same as shown in Figures :1-4. .Thereis no straplike retaining member surrounding the tension and compression members in addition to the head 35. In lieu of the strap-like retaining member, the compression and tension members are secured together independently of the head by rivets 36 extending transversely of the beam through the end portions of the tension member and the compression member web.

The head has a through passageway for the end of the main members of the beam and is provided with parts 37, 38 extending outwardly beyond the planes of the shoe mounting elements 39 at both sides of the beam. Element 37 is salted against the inclined portion of tension member 32. Element 38 is ofiset rearwardly of the shoe mounting face of the brake head and its outer edge is engaged by the inwardly facing shoulder 40 on the end of the tension member. Spring key 41 draws the head rearwardly so that elements 37, 38 remain in engagement with the opposing elements of the tension member.

When the head is to be replaced, key 41 is withdrawn,

the head moved forwardly to disalign elements 38 and 40,

and'the headremovedlengthwise of thebeam; *There'is no interference with rivets 66 which permanently maint in the ass mbly ofth songpression and, tension members.

=In'both'jforms' ofthe invention,- the head is readily -replaced. #I-Thehead is-held agaip'stmovement from the beambnthas a'loosefit over thebeam the head to-ro'clr slightly on'the'beam-from -a-perpendic ular and-thereby cushion blows by the wheel flanges 'F (Figure 1-) a gain.st the -side of-the brake-shoes S -as thewheels play'lengthwise-of 'This-will-reduce wear on the brale beamparts.

'a'Ihe -details of the construction may be waded 'other than-as-descnbed'withont departing from-the spirit'of the invention -andtheexelnsiveuse-of those modifications comingwithim the-scope of-theclairns -is contemplated.

What is'claimedisz lf-In arailwaytwss type -brake beam having amain compressiqnmembermnd =a main-tension member, both extending lengthwiseof =the'beam; and spaced apart near the middle of =lheibeam, thewtensiqnmember being inclined toward the compression member from the middle of the:beag1 toward-eachend-oftheabeam, the end portions -of-.said=.me mbersat each. end ofsthe beam extendingparallel andahayingwopposingiaces in-oontacg-an elongatedustrap, bentxiightly -.arogmd the .-top, bottom, ifront and; rear; facesmflsaid {End portions -.-transvemely .-of .:the length of the beam and retaining them together the terminah-of theztension: memberiextendingzbeyonduhe it'eimi- Y 1 provided with a brake head at each end of the beam -hav1ng atransverse passageway receiving-the-end-portions of the tension and compression members and receiving the retainer strap and mounted on the latter, there being opposing elements on an inner face of the brake head passageway and the front face of the retainer strap and facing lengthwise of the lgeam agd engaging each other, upon movement off thehead transyersely of the length of the beam, and-thereby holdingthe-headagainst movement a th nd .lza e tend n ztl mu h ing strap to hold said elements against relativeg-moyement transverselypf the length of the beam.

3. A railway't'mss-typebrake-beam according to claim 1 in which the egnn gra ha wash i a fit about the 7 meta -eases t efi a f-thi fit s --UNT-T=ED enemas-41mm may 4r 291943. W I 32. 0%? I tZAQ3i i-L Ma 1 2,656,019 iBgsgh Qct. eon-s 2,611 252 2 2,826,279 Busch ..Mar. 11, 19s;

sFpgE -514;-7-99 Canada -sIu-l y 19,71 955 

